The Scarlet Dawn
by hermioneg2
Summary: *Chap. 4 up!* Hogwarts is a pretty peaceful place until the Mauraders get there and quickly turn it into a place for pranks and parties. But it's not all fun and games, because an evil lord is waiting in the shadows, ready to strike at any moment.
1. Bags Packed

**~*THE SCARLET DAWN*~  
  
Chapter One-Bags Packed**  
  
  
"It's hard to believe, all of my friends are going to Hogwarts and I'm sitting here, trying to learn it all out of a book. This isn't fair mom," exclaimed Remus Lupin, a young, handsome boy with sandy blonde hair, enraged with anger.  
  
"Now honey, I know it's a hard thing for you to accept, but think about it. What if you bit someone? What if you just couldn't help yourself and killed someone. You know how it was with you, we thought that we'd lost you!" screamed his mother. They'd had this fight before.  
  
"Mom, it's not like it's my fault that I was bitten! I couldn't have stopped it and you know it, you just want to protect your precious reputation. Sometimes I just can't believe that you get this way, I'm not going to bite anyone," replied Remus. His mother sighed.  
  
"That's right, you're not going to bite anyone because you're staying here. I can't let you take that chance, you know that. Now, do you want to go with Sirius to say goodbye or do you want to stay here?" asked his mom softly. She knew it wasn't his fault, she hated to be so hard on him.  
  
"Ok Mom, and I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to be so mean to you. Now we have to go, I need to say goodbye to Sirius. I'm going to Kings Cross station with him to see him off, right, or am I not allowed to now?" said Remus. His mother nodded yes that he was, indeed, allowed to see off his best friend, and then they headed out the door and walked down the street to Sirius Black's house.  
  
"Hey Sirius, all ready? I bet you're excited!" exclaimed Remus as the good-looking brunette answered the doorbell. Sirius smiled.  
  
"Oh yeah, Hogwarts is going to so different once I get to it, you better belive that. I have the world's biggest supply of Filibuster Fireworks, and no one even knows about it!" exclaimed Sirius, speaking the last sentance in a whisper so that only Remus could hear.   
  
"Sounds like a lot of fun, I wish that I could go," said Remus with a sigh.  
  
"Your aunt is still making you live with her in the south of France? Man, I'm so sorry, who would have thought that on the first year that we would be going to Hogwarts, we would have to be seperated by your stupid aunt. Stupid, stupid stupid!" yelled Sirius, and his mother gave him a look. "And I mean that in the most respectful way possible," he added, which earned him a smile from his mother. Remus laughed, he sure would miss his best friend.  
  
Remus looked back on the day that he and Sirius had gotten their letters for Hogwarts, they had been so happy. They made lots of plans, from how they would pester all the teachers, to how they would be the most popular and best looking guys in school, to how they would learn so much and become co-ministers of Magic. That was, of course, before his mom told him that he couldn't attend school. That was before he told Sirius that he would be living with his evil aunt Gertrude in the south of France because his mom didn't allow him to tell anyone that he was a werewolf. Now he would be spending his time in the poor, Sirius free neighborhood, learning magic by a coorespondance course. His dreams were shattered an hour after they had taken flight.  
  
"Hey Remmie, are you ok? You have that glazed over look again, why don't we get you some hot cocoa?" asked Mrs. Black. Remus nodded his head yes. Maggie Black had become like a second mother to him, sometimes he thought that she loved him more than his own mother did. His own mom never called him Remmie or made him hot chocolate. His own mother never told him how well he could sing or how smart he was. Sometimes he wished that Mrs. Black really was his mom.  
  
"Come on boys, it's time to go now!" yelled Mrs. Lupin. She handed some floo powder to each of the boys and they quickly threw it into the fire. Then they were gone.  
  
***  
  
"Mother, how exactly does one get to Hogwarts?" asked James Potter, a handsome, young, black haired boy with deep chocolate eyes.  
  
"Why the train of course. You've known that sense you were just a little boy." replied Mrs. Potter, smiling at her son.   
  
"No mother, that's not what I meant. I was actually wondering how, exactly, one gets there after he disembarks from the train. It's raining and I haven't any rain clothes," explained James, as if this was obvious.  
  
"I wouldn't worry about that son. There are carriages. And I'm sure that if there weren't any they would make an exception for you, me being who I am and all," said Mr. Potter, patting his son on the head. James frowned and fixed his hair.  
  
"But Dad, so what if you are the head auror and next in line for the minister of magic? That really doesn't pertain to me now does it? It's not like they are going to give me any special treatment there, right? That just wouldn't be fair," said James.   
  
"Life's not fair, you should use it to your advantage." explained Mr. Potter. "Go on outside, the ministry has some cars waiting for us."  
  
"I don't understand why we can't just go by floo powder," said James. Mr. Potter sighed.  
  
"People of importance do not arrive to special occasions by floo powder, they make an entrance. I don't want them to think that you are some average, run of the mill boy who can't afford to travel by private automobile. How many times do I have to tell you that?" asked Mr. Potter.  
  
"And I don't want people to think that I am some stuck-up little rich boy who has to depend on his father for everything!" yelled James. Mrs. Potter sighed.  
  
"James, we've had this discussion before, don't argue with your father. He's older and wiser than you are," said Mrs. Potter.  
  
"And in order to be old and wise you must first be young and stupid, right?" asked James, dropping the regal tone. For this he got a glare from each of his parents.  
  
"Go outside now. I've have the elf bring out your bags," said Mr. Potter. James walked outside of their mansion defeatedly. As he got to the end of the gates he spotted Severus Snape, who was his neighbor and would be arriving in the same car as the Potters. Snape glared at him and James returned the glare.  
  
"So Potter, all ready to go to school now? I'm sure your father has fixed it so that you get perfect grades, you probably won't have to worry about anything. But with you being so stupid and all, I'm sure someone will catch on sooner or later." said Severus.  
  
"Yeah right. You know that's not true." responded James. Severus chuckled.  
  
"If that's the best you can come up with, you're even stupider than I thought!" exclaimed Severus. James quickly thought up a good argument to that statement.  
  
"Stupider isn't a word you know." he replied.  
  
"It doesn't matter. You'll see when we get to school, I'll have all the popularity and you will be the stupid git that no one likes. It's just the way that the world works. Sorry Potter," said Severus. James was about to reply when Adamus Snape. Severus' father, came up from behind and rested his hand on his son's shoulder.  
  
"Arguing, boys? Tisk tisk tisk, wouldn't want you to get in trouble on your first day of school. That just couldn't happen now could it?" said Adamus in his husky voice.   
  
"He started it," mumbled James, taking his eyes of Adamus. He turned around to see his parents coming from behind.  
  
"Oh, greetings Adamus. My how Severus has grown since we last saw him. It is really a pleasure to see both of you again," said Mr. Potter, extending his hand.  
  
"The pleasure is all mine." replied Adamus, taking Mr. Potter's hand and shaking it. "I'm sure we will enjoy our time together on the way to Hogwarts. Speak of the devil, here come our cars now."  
  
"Shall we?" asked Mrs. Potter, motioning to the cars. The Potters and the Snapes climbed in and soon they were off on the way to King's Cross station.  
  
***  
  
  
Lily Evans , a small, shy girl with vibrant red hair and bright green eyes, surveyed the many bags and belongs that surrounded her. Sadly, she put them all in her rather large trunk and began to go downstairs to where her parents and sister were waiting for her. She couldn't believe what was going to happen today, couldn't believe that she was about to leave everything that she had ever known to learn witchcraft and wizardry. Three weeks ago, she hadn't even known that such a school existed. Now, as she had read the books that she had gotten from a wizard bookshop, she knew quite a lot about this new magical world, and she was even more sure that she would never fit in.  
  
For one thing, she was always being bullied and mocked by her older sister Petunia and her brat pack. Lily was about a foot shorter than her sister and wasn't known for speaking up, and when she did she was normally regarded as a freak. It wasn't really her fault though. Due to some very unusual circumstances, she was never as normal as one would suspect an eleven year old to be. For one thing, she was very smart, she always liked to learn new and exciting things, to enter worlds that she never knew existed. For another, she was always making things happen. She didn't mean for the water to all empty from the swimming pool, or for her neighbor's dog to start floating in mid-air, but for some reason these things always happened to her.  
  
"Come on Lils, it's time to go!" yelled Mr. Evans, smiling at his daughter as he handed her a travel mug full of hot chocolate. "My little baby is growing up, I can't believe you're going to be gone." he added, on a sadder note. Lily sighed, she didn't like to be called little, even if it was by her parents.  
  
"Hey princess, are you all ready to go to your new school?" asked Mrs. Evans. Lily nodded her head, and she began to head out the door. They were nearly there when Lily's mother realized that a member of their family was missing. "Petunia! PETUNIA! Get down her now, your sister is leaving and you need to see her off!" yelled Mrs. Evans. Petunia, a scrawny brunette with too much neck bounded down the stairs to the living room.  
  
"I still don't understand why I have to come," said Petunia with a sigh. Mr. Evans gave her the Look.  
  
"This is one of your last days with your sister. Today she will be leaving and it will be quite awhile before you see her again. It seems as if she's leaving for good." said Mrs. Evans, with tears running down her face.  
  
"Is that a promise?" asked Petunia under her breath so her parents couldn't hear her. Lily didn't say anything. "Coward." said Petunia.  
  
"Ok girls, into the car!" exclaimed Mr. Evans.  
  
"Wait, one last picture of my baby girl with her big sister!" said Mrs. Evans. She pulled out a camera and snapped a photo. Then they got into the car and left for the station.  
  
  
***  
  
"Where do you have to go?" asked Mrs. Evans as they pulled up to Kings Cross Station. Lily took out her ticket and looked at it.  
  
"It says I need to go to platform 9 and 3/4," said Lily casually as she put her ticket back in her pocket.  
  
"Platform 9 and 3/4? That doens't make sense, there's no such thing. You people really are stupid," said Petunia, who had been acting particularly sour all day.  
  
"Well that's what it says. I'm sure I'll be able to figure it out once we get there." said Lily. She got her trunk out of the back of her car and started walking inside. They walked inside of the beautiful, old station and walked down to where platforms 9 and 10 were. Lily was sure she would be able to find platform 9 and 3/4, but now she wasn't as confident. She just saw the solid-looking barrier between platforms 9 and 10.   
  
"See, I told you it doesn't exist. Why don't we just pack up and go home and you can forget about your stupid hocus pocus." said Petunia, turning towards the exit. Just then Lily spotted a boy who looked as if he was going to Hogwarts also. He had a packed trunk and sweeping black robes. Lily watched to see how he got onto the platform. He walked toward the barrier, leaned against it and- he just disappeared. Then it made sense to Lily.  
  
"Oh, this is so obvious I can't believe I didn't think of it. Regular people can't just find out about Hogwarts, it would be horrible. The entrance is concealed, you have to walk through that barrier!" exclaimed Lily.   
  
"Oh how could I have been so stupid! You have to walk through a completly soild barrier, why didn't I think of that?" said Petunia sarcastically. Lily didn't respond, she somehow knew that the barrier wasn't solid. She summoned her courage and then walked straight towards the barrier, closed her eyes, didn't stop and she was through. Her parents and Petunia looked, wide eyed, at the way she had disappeared, and then her parents swelled with pride.  
  
"Oh, she really is magical! It is so great having a witch in the family!" they exclaimed as they hugged. Petunia, feeling very left out, tryed to prove that she was wonderful also. She walked towards the barrier, kept walking, closed her eyes and BOOM she slammed into the barrier.   
  
"Oh...My...God! My nose, my nose, I think it's broken!" yelled Petunia as her nose started to bleed. Her parents didn't seem to care that much though. They easily walked through the barrier and left Petunia outside. It took her about 7 more tries until she could get onto the platform.  
  
"You little...you are so horrible, you and your abnormality! Look at my nose! My plastic suregon specifically told me not to do anything to it for three weeks and now look! It's all your fault. I hate you, I wish that I didn't have a sister!" yelled Petunia. Lily shrunk at the words and then felt a tap on her shoulder.  
  
"Excuse me, are you a first year too? Hum, I'll take your silence as a yes. Why did you just let her yell at you like that? I have a much better thing that you could do to her," said a tall, dark haired, handsome boy that looked about the same age as Lily. He took out a wand and muttered something. Suddenly Petunia's nose swelled up to about the size of a small watermelon. Petunia grabbed it in fear and then ran towards the platform so she could get back to the muggle world, and once again she ran into the wall. Lily laughed at her sister, she had never seen her so afraid before.  
  
"Thanks. I'm Lily Evans by the way," said Lily, extending her hand out to the boy.  
  
"Sirius Black, pleased to meet ya!" said Sirius, shaking her hand. "So why did you let her yell at you like that? Why didn't you stand up for yourself?" Lily thought about that for awhile and realized that she didn't have an answer to that.  
  
"I don't know..." said Lily. Sirius smiled.  
  
"Look, she's coming back." he said, and Lily saw her sister, still clutching her nose. Then Lily decided something. She didn't want to be that shy girl that she always was growing up. She wanted to be someone better, someone who could be cool and spontaneous. She wanted to be the real her, the person she had always been afraid to be.  
  
"Hey Petunia, you have some dirt on your nose. Here, let me help you with that," said Lily and, before Petunia knew it, Lily took out her wand and turned Petunia's nose bright blue. "Oops, I guess I'm not that good with my spells yet. Sorry!"  
  
"You are just my kind of person!" said Sirius. "I'll save you a spot in my compartment on the train, ok? The last one. Toodles!"  
  
"Lily, it's about time for you to get on the train," said Mrs. Evans. She pulled Lily into a hug.  
  
"Good bye mum. I love you," said Lily. Then her dad hugged her.  
  
"Now have fun. But not too much fun, okay?" said her father jokingly. Lily laughed.  
  
"I'll be sure to keep the wild parties down to the bare minimum," said Lily. "Bye daddy, love you!" she yelled, and then she boarded the train.  
  
***  
  
"Excuse me, Mrs. Lupin? I would like to talk to you about your son's time at Hogwarts," said an older, white-haired man with a certain amout of charisma and an enigmatic smile. Mrs. Lupin came over to him and shook his hand.  
  
"Why Professor Dumbledore, this is a pleasent suprise!" she exclaimed, happy to see her old transfiguration teacher. "Now, I told Professor Dippet all about the special, um, circumstances that will prevent Remus from going to school. Are you going to help on his coorespondance learning?"  
  
"Whatever do you mean? Coorespondance learning? It was my knowledge that he was going to be staying at Hogwarts with everyone else!" said Professor Dumbledore. "It would be a shame for me to take down all the precautionary structures that were put up for his safety and that of everyone around him." said Dumbledore. Mrs. Lupin was suprised.  
  
"But sir, Headmaster Dippet said that there was no possible way for Remus to attend Hogwarts. I don't understand." she said. Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"Headmaster Dippet resigned. I'm the new headmaster, and I see no reason why Remus can't attend Hogwarts like any other student. Tell him to board the train at once, we don't want him to be late," said Dumbledore. Mrs. Lupin quickly went out and fetched her somber looking son.  
  
"Remus, the new headmaster has arranged it so that you can go to Hogwarts!" she exclaimed. Remus' face lit up and he smiled at his mom.  
  
"Really! Oh, this is great! I have to go and tell Sirius. I have to go, the train is about to leave! But my stuff, it's all at home, how am I going to get it?" asked Remus. Mrs. Lupin smiled.  
  
"I'll make sure that it's taken to Hogwarts. Now go on the train, it's time for you to leave!" exclaimed Mrs. Lupin. Remus smiled at her once again, gave her a big hug, and then boarded the Hogwarts express 

* * *

  
**A/N-**Well, there it is, the first chapter of The Scarlet Dawn. This is a prequal to Green Eyes, which is my other story, but really you don't have to read that one first. This story will span 1st through 4th years, and it will definatly NOT be cliche. Trust me, I hate cliches as much as you do. Also, don't expect too much fluff, especially in their first and second years. You have to figure that as 11 and 12 year olds they can't really have too much romance. Please review the story, I am a review junkie. They just make me really happy!  
  
**Disclaimer-** Harry Potter and all the Harry Potter characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I don't own them, all I own is the idea. I'm not trying to pretend to be her. Please don't sue me!  



	2. Explosions and Hats

**~*THE SCARLET DAWN*~  
Chapter Two- Explosions and Hats  
**  
"Hey Sirius, guess what!" he yelled as he got into Sirius' compartment. It was already filled with people, but Sirius noticed him at once.  
  
"Oh, this is gonna be fun! Um, you bought a whole bunch of joke stuff off of an old fat guy wearing glasses but it's really cheap so you want me to beat him up for you?" said Sirius. Remus laughed.  
  
"I think I would be the one to beat him up, you'd run away if you broke a nail," responded Remus. Sirius looked hurt.  
  
"Hey, my manicurist is very expensive. I can't just go to her for an emergency manicure anytime I want, and my on call manicurist, well let's just say she wouldn't know a manicure if it jumped in front of her wearing a pink dress with blue polka dots and started screaming, 'I'm a manicure, I'm a manicure!'" said Sirius.  
  
"Well you could see where she'd have trouble. No, I'm going to be able to go to Hogwarts! Aunt Gertrude got arrested for stealing a muggle's car, so I'm not going to the south of France. Isn't that great!" exclaimed Remus. A smile spread across Sirius' face that looked as if it could have gone all the way to his ears.   
  
"That's great! I know someone who got arrested! And I thought she was just an evil little old lady!" said Sirius excitedly. "So how are you getting your stuff here?"   
  
"My mom's bringing it," said Remus. Lily spoke up.  
  
"Hi, I'm Lily. I didn't catch your name," she said, shaking the new boys hand. He smiled at her.  
  
"Remus Lupin. Hey Sirius, does this room seem a little quiet to you?" said Remus, turning back to his best friend.  
  
"Yes...let me ponder...oh, I have a brilliant idea!" said Sirius.  
  
"Why am I afraid?" asked Lily.   
  
"Well, you might be nervous because you're starting up at hogwarts, maybe you're afraid of trains, and it might just be that Sirius Black has a brilliant idea," said Remus, cocking his head to the side and stroking an imaginary goatee. "I wonder..."  
  
"I think it's that-" but they didn't get to find out what Lily thought, because right at the moment a Filibuster Firework went off, filling the compartment with bright colors and a heavy smoke.  
  
"What's going on in here, did something explode?" asked a scared looking first year girl. Lily quickly cleared the smoke with her wand and saw that a large group of people were standing outside of the door to the compartment.   
  
"Yeah, that was just our invite to a big party in our compartment. Everyone in, there's enough food for everyone!" said Sirius, ushering the people in.   
  
"You people have food in here?" asked a blonde haired boy.  
  
"No, but we can still party," said Remus. The people sat down and introduced themselves.   
  
"I'm Nancy, first year, nice to meet ya!"  
  
"Frederick. Sup."  
  
"That was a huge explosion, how many fireworks did you use?"  
  
"I'm sorry to rain on this parade, but I'm Molly Templeton, 7th year, prefect, and I would like you to know that blowing things up on the bus is strictly prohibited." said a round looking brunette with a scowl.  
  
"Oh, sorry, didn't mean to, it won't happen again!" said Sirius. Molly huffed and walked out of the room.  
  
"So, anyone up for a game of poker?" asked Lily, holding up a deck of cards.   
  
"Poker?" chorused a few people, including Remus and Sirius.  
  
"It's a muggle game. Very fun, they play it in casinos. It's cool," said Lily. She didn't expect the people in the compartment to agree with her, but suprisingly enough they did, and soon they were wrapped up in a fun game of poker.   
  
***  
  
James walked down the corrider of the crowded train. Everywhere people were talking to their friends, laughing, and generally having a good time. James felt pretty stupid, he didn't have any friends here. He looked in at a compartment that was filled with people who looked about the same age as him. James opened the door and talked to them.  
  
"Is it okay if I come in here?" he asked. A girl gave him a strange look.  
  
"I'm sorry, we're all full here. Why don't you find somewhere else?" she asked. James had just walked out of the compartment when he heard someone else talk.  
  
"What are you talking about? There's an extra seat right here, and he was pretty cute!" she said. The girl who had told him to get out laughed.  
  
"We don't want him in here, he's a little rich boy," she explained. James sighed and went onto the next compartment. He got the same soft of treatment until he got to the last compartment. This one was the loudest of all, people were talking and laughing, and there seemed to be some sort of game going on. People were jam packed into the compartment, and there barely seemed to be enough room for him to even stand up, but it was his last chance. He knocked on the door and, after not receiving an answer, walked in.  
  
"Can I hang out in this compartment? All the other ones, um, well can I come in here?" he asked. A pretty redhead turned to him and smiled.  
  
"Whatev. We're playing muggle poker, it's not that hard, you'll get it. Partner up with, let me see, Remus right now. You'll learn." she said nonchalantly, and James sat down next to the boy she had pointed out.  
  
"So, you a first year?" asked Remus. James nodded.  
  
"Yeah, I'm James Potter," said James.  
  
"Remus Lupin. That's Sirius Black, Lily Evans, and, well actually I don't know all the people in here but oh well," said Remus with a smile.  
  
"Wait, James Potter? Is your dad Thomas Potter?" asked Sirius, turning around with a scowl on his face.  
  
"Um, yeah. Why?" asked James. He didn't want to get kicked out of this compartment too and have to find a nice spot on the floor to sit.  
  
"He works at the ministry. He WORKED with my dad, do you know what I mean?" asked Sirius, his face changing from happy and carefree to irritated.  
  
"No, actually I don't," James responded in a cold monotone.   
  
"Well you should know you little-" but Sirius was interupted by the lady who brings the food cart around.  
  
"Would you guys like to buy some snacks? I have quite a bit left," she said with a smile. James took out a few galleons.  
  
"I'll take all that you have," said James, handing her some money. The cart lady smiled and handed him his food, which he in turn divided up amongst the people in the cart.  
  
"Oh, cool!" said a girl with blonde hair as James handed her a chocolate frog. "I'm Nancy by the way."  
  
"And I'm Caty."  
  
"Jeanine Anderson."  
  
Everyone introduced themselves to James and it wasn't long before Remus, Sirius, Lily and he were regarded as the most popular kids in first year.   
  
***  
  
"Do you hear all of that comotion down the hall from us?" asked Jamie Stevenson, with a look of irritation in her icy blue eyes. Her short blonde hair moved ever so slightly as she turned to face her new friends, and she quickly put it back in place.  
  
"Sounds like a party, anyone up for seeing what's going on?" asked Sara Thomas, brusing her hair behind her ears.  
  
"Seems like a good idea to me," said Sandra Klein, turning to the other girls and flashing her perfect smile.  
  
"Totally. Let's go," said Jamie, walking out the door. She didn't wonder if the other people were following her, they always did.  
  
"Hey, what's going on in here?" asked Jamie, smiling. These people appeared to be pretty popular, she didn't want to make a bad impression on her very first day.  
  
"We're just playing, poker. It's a muggle game," said Lily casually, not looking up. "Ok, ace and duces are wild, everybody ante."  
  
"Lily? Is that you?" asked Jamie, startled.  
  
"Jamie? Oh my goodness what are you doing here?" asked Lily, puzzeled by the apperence of her old friend.  
  
"Going to Hogwarts, obviously. I thought you were supposed to be the smart one!" said Jamie, now aware that everyone in the compartment was watching them.  
  
"She's spent a little too much time with my good friend Sirius Black here," said Remus. Sirius pretended to look hurt.  
  
"She has not! It's not my fault, I swear!" said Sirius.  
  
"I think it is," said James cooly. Sirius looked at him with a glare.  
  
"What's your problem anyway?" asked Sirius. James gave him an 'isn't it obvious?' look.  
  
"My problem is that you have a problem with me that I don't know about for some reason," said James. Sirius rolled his eyes.  
  
"_My problem is that you have a problem with me that I don't know about for some reason_," mocked Sirius in a squeaky, high pitched voice.  
  
"Cut it out!" said James.  
  
"_Cut it out!" _mocked Sirius.  
  
"Boys, SHUT UP!" yelled Lily. Sirius and James immediatly went quiet. "Anyway...oh yeah, everyone this is Jamie. Jamie is my best friend, and I didn't know that she was coming to Hogwarts so that's why I'm suprised." said Lily. The people in the compartment nodded in understandment and then proceded with their game. Lily dealt Jamie in and then started talking to her once again.  
  
"So why didn't you tell me?" asked Lily, feeling quite betrayed.  
  
"I could ask you the same question, but I know the answer. It's because I thought you would think I was crazy, a school of witchcraft and wizardry. I never thought that you would be going there too." said Jamie calmly. "I'll take three cards."  
  
"Oh, I understand. Sorry for my stupidity," said Lily. Jamie opened her mouth and it looked like she was about to say something when--  
  
"Oh...My...God! What just got in my hair? There is something sticky in my hair!" yelled Sandra, whom Jamie had come into the compartment with.  
  
"Calm down Sandra, I'm sure it will be okay," said Sara, pulling her friend out of the train compartment. "Jamie, come here, we need you! It's an emergancy!"  
  
"Bye Lily. See you later!" said Jamie as she was dragged out of the room by Sara.  
  
"You did it didn't you," said Sirius, looking over at his new rival.  
  
"Did what?" asked James innocently.  
  
"Put the gum in that Sandy or whatever girl's hair. You did it!" exclaimed Sirius.  
  
"You have to admit she deserved it, shining that mirror in my eyes every five seconds. People should not be that vain," said James. Sirius half-smiled, but the smile went away in an instant.  
  
"Well, yeah, it was good but, don't expect to outprank me," said Sirius. "Oh, and by the way I'm gonna tell her you did it, so you better watch out when she comes after YOU with scissors in the middle of the night!"  
  
  
***  
  
"Firs' years, over here, all firs' years!" yelled a large, hairy man that was standing on one side of the train, motioning over to some boats that were at his side. "Get in, no more 'n four 'n a boat!"   
  
"But it's raining? Why do we have to cross the lake like this?" asked Severus Snape maliciously.  
  
"Cuz it's tradition. Get in!" responded the man. Lily stepped out of the train and found herself getting rained on.  
  
"Oh, here, let me help you," said James, pulling out an unbrella. "I came prepared." Lily gladly got under the umbrella and walked over to the boat with Remus and Sirius in it. She didn't even think before stepping inside.  
  
"Oh, maybe I should find another boat..." said James, looking at the people he would be traveling with.  
  
"No problem, we like your unbrella," said Sirius. James got inside the boat.  
  
"It won't cover all of us at once," he said, but Sirius just smiled.  
  
"I'll fix that," said Sirius. He took out his wand and the unbrella grew to cover all four students. Also, unbeknowst to James, he made the umbrella say 'James is a loser' in flashing letters.  
  
It seemed like it took ages for them to arrive at Hogwarts, where they were welcomed by a young looking witch with her hair in a tight bun.  
  
"Hello, I am Professor McGonagall. First years, before you can go into the Great Hall and sit down to the feast you must first be sorted into your houses. Your house will be like a family to you at Hogwarts, you will attend classes together and spend free-time in your respective common rooms. Now follow me and don't be nervous." said the professor. The first years nodded and walked into the great hall.  
  
"What do they mean get sorted? What are you supposed to do?" asked Lily nervously. James smiled at her.  
  
"All you have to do is try on this old hat. Don't worry about it, you'll be fine." he said. Professor McGonagall took out a scrap of parchment and started reading of names.  
  
"Anderson, Jeanine." she said. A gorgeous, long haired brunette walked up and tried on the hat. It was barely on her head when it shouted out "RAVENCLAW." A few more people came up and got sorted and then the professor called out, "Black, Sirius." Sirius nervously went foward and put on the hat. Once it had been placed on his head he heard a little voice in his ear.  
  
"Ah, what to do with you. You like to make trouble and tend to want to prove yourself, oh yes, and that is a trait that is common in Syltherins. You could be a Hufflepuff, you're always loyal to your friends in their need. And you have quite a mind, good for a Ravenclaw. But there is more here, an uncommon courage that isn't usually this strong with average Gryffindors. A difficult choice, but I have to go with my hunch and put you in GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yelled out the last word and Sirius smiled with relief. Before she knew it, Lily was being called up to be sorted.  
  
"A wonderful mind, you would do really well in Ravenclaw, but there's more here. More that leads me to believe that you belong in GRYFFINDOR," said the hat. Lily smiled, set her hat on the stool and joined Sirius at the Gryffindor table. They quietly sat and watched as the other students got sorted until the professor called out, "Lupin, Remus." Sirius gave Remus a thumbs up before the hat blocked his eyes from view.  
  
"A werewolf? I know just where to put you if you've been through that, GRYFFINDOR!" yelled out the hat. Sirius, Lily and Remus watched more of the sorting. Probably most amusing was the sorting of a round, chubby boy named Peter Pettigrew.  
  
"RA- no HUF- no SLYTH- no, GRYFFINDOR!" yelled the hat. Peter sat down and the professor called up "Potter, James."  
  
"A Potter eh? Better make it GRYFFINDOR!" the hat once again yelled. Lily surveyed her new friends, her new group, her new home. She laughed at one of Sirius' jokes and almost spilled her food when a ghost popped up behind her. She smiled to herself and thought, _It doesn't get any better than this.  
_

* * *

**A/N-**Well, there's chapter two. The next one should be out pretty soon, I'm asking for five reviews on this chaper if I can get them. I think this is a good story, one of the best that I've written, and I'd like to know how you think it can improve. Please click the little button, you know it makes me happy.  
  
**Thank You-** I would like to thank Laralanthalasa, thistlemeg and Heather the Hobbit for reviewing this story. Thanks guys, I really appreciate it.  
  
**Disclaimer-** Harry Potter and everyone mentioned in the Harry Potter Books belong to J.K. Rowling. I own the idea. Oh yeah, and I also own a penny. Go me!  



	3. A's and Some Time in Detention

**~*THE SCARLET DAWN*~  
Chapter Three-A's and Some Time in Detention  
  
** "Lily, Lily, oh LILY!" bellowed a voice that Lily quickly recognized as Sirius'. She looked over at the clock on her bedside table. It was 4:30 in the morning. Lily threw on her green velvet robe and went downstairs, hoping that it would be something important this time. Sirius was standing in the common room with loony tunes boxers and no t-shirt.  
  
"Nice pajamas," said Lily sarcastically. A huge grin was plastered on Sirius' face. This was NOT good, he was up to something.  
  
The last week had been the greatest, most amazing yet weirdest week of Lily's life. She had done well in all of her new classes and had a lot of new friends at Hogwarts. It was quite strange, though, first of all because she was in a new word practicing magic with completly new people. She had felt very stupid when the mail came by owl the first day and she ducked her head as if the owls were going to attack her. But she had quickly gotten used to that.  
  
Then there was the whole Sirius vs. James problem. Lily could hardly stop herself from laughing out loud whenever they would start to fight. They would be extremly rude to each other, then one of them would say something that would impress the other one, and that person would have to pretend like they weren't impressed. It was amazing that they still hated each other, Lily thought that they could be best friends if they just dropped it.  
  
"So Lils, remeber last night when I tried to turn James' face green?" asked Sirius.  
  
"How could I forget?" asked Lily, knowing that he was going to try and pull yet another prank on James.  
  
"Well, I figure that if I'm really quiet I'll be able to sneak into his room and perform the charm," said Sirius.  
  
"Oh, because I thought that if you didn't run into his room, jump on his bed, knock over the bedside table and set off his exploding snap game you could sneak into his room and perform the charm," replied Lily with a yawn.  
  
"That too. Anyway, the charm is kinda hard and since you are the best one of us at charms..." started Sirius.  
  
"You want me to do it." finished Lily with a frown. She didnt want to get herself into trouble.  
  
"Not exactly. You just have to make us silent and then follow me into the room and make sure I don't do anything stupid," explained Sirius.  
  
"Oh, because who would think that sneaking over into someone elses' dorm, probably going through their stuff like last time and then turning their face green would be stupid?" asked Lily sarcastically. Sirius put on a puppy dog expression and pushed out his lower lip. "Alright, what's the charm?"  
  
"Oh thank you thank you thank you, Lily you're the best I love you! Thank you thank you thank you!" exclaimed Sirius, giving her a huge hug. Lily didn't seem too amused.  
  
"That's nice. Now if you could please get off of me," Sirius quickly walked over to the other side of the room. "Thanks. Hum, this isn't too hard. Just a different wrist movement, that's probably your problem. You were just sending sparks?"  
  
"Uh-huh. Wow you're good Lily," said Sirius.  
  
"I know. Well, hold on a second, SILENCIO," Lily jumped up and down and threw the book at Sirius. It was completly quiet. Sirius tried to say something to Lily, but Lily held up her hand and grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill that way laying on one of the common room tables.  
  
"You're silent, I can't hear you, obviously. We'll have to communicate using this," wrote Lily, handing the paper to Sirius. He quickly wrote something.  
  
"O I C. U follow me, k?" it read in his suprisingly neat handwriting. Lily nodded and they walked over towards the boys dormitories. Lily had been there the night before, when Sirius had attempted this same prank, but that hadn't worked out too well. Professor McGonagall had heard the noise and Lily had barely gotten to her own dormitory when the professor had walked in through the portrait hole and rushed up to see what had happened. Luckily for Sirius, he had bolted out of there so fast that James hadn't seen his attacker and no one had gotten in trouble.  
  
"Going 2 do charm. Stay back or u turn green 2." wrote Sirius. Lily walked back to the door and Sirius silently said the charm. Green spread all over James' body, and got on his sheets and pillows also. Sirius laughed and walked back to meet Lily, but he tripped into James' trunk, sending James' belonging flying onto the floor.  
  
"Sirius, pick this stuff up or James will know we were here!" wrote Lily.   
  
"Yeah, like he's not gonna figure that someone was here by the lovely green shade of his face! Help me!" wrote Sirius. Lily started picking things up and then looked over at Sirius. He picked up a silvery cloak and made an inaudiable gasp. "U know what this is?" he wrote. Lily shook her head no. "It's an invisibility cloak. They're really rare. Man, I wish I had 1 of these."  
  
"Maybe it's time for you to become friends with James so you can use it," wrote Lily. Sirius wrote something back, which was completly the oppisite of what Lily was thinking he would say. On the paper he had only written one word.   
  
"Maybe."  
  
  
***  
  
"Hey Lily, you know you love me," said James sweetly. Lily turned to look at him in all of his green glory.  
  
"Good morning gorgeous," she said with a laugh.  
  
"Well hello darling, lovely day isn't it. Would you happen to know the counter curse that will change me back to my original color?" he asked in a sing-song voice.  
  
"I'm suprised you don't know it, you're the one that is so smart," said Lily. James quickly disagreed.  
  
"Not at charms, I'm horrible at them. Please Lily, you know you want to," said James. Lily couldn't help but laugh at this situation.  
  
"Alright," said Lily. She opened up her Standard Book of Spells Grade One and checked to see the counter curse. A moment later James looked quite like himself again, except he had a weird greenish tint to his skin tone.  
  
"So what should I do to get back at Sirius?" asked James. "I know for a fact that he still sleeps with his teddy bear. I could take some of the engorging potion we're going to make in potions today and make the teddy bear really big. Then I can put the teddy bear in the great hall with a sign that says 'I belong to Sirius' around his neck. I know it will be easy to get the bear. Now all I have to do is figure out how to get down to the Great Hall in the middle of the night without anyone seeing me..."   
  
"Why don't you just use the invisibility cloak?" asked Lily. Once the words were out of her mouth she knew that she had made a huge mistake.  
  
"You know about my invisibility cloak?" said James, more of a question than a statment.  
  
"Kinda," said Lily slyly. James didn't seem too happy about this.  
  
"And how do you 'kinda' know about my invisibility cloak? Were you 'kinda' there when Sirius 'kinda' cursed me and 'kinda' knocked all my stuff over and 'kinda' put it back in my trunk the wrong way?" asked James.  
  
"Kinda," said Lily.   
  
"I thought you were my friend! How could you help him do that?" asked James.  
  
"Because you are both my friends. Why don't you just talk to him? Then you guys don't have to go around being mad at each other," said Lily. James thought about this for a minute and then responded.  
  
"He's the one who started it, he's going to have to end it. You're going to come down to the great hall with me tonight, right?" asked James.   
  
"I don't want to get in trouble," said Lily.  
  
"There's enough room for you to hide under the invisibility cloak with me. It will take just a little while, I promise," said James.  
  
"I guess," said Lily. "Come on, let's get some breakfast."  
  
  
***  
  
"So Sirius, here's the plan," said Lily, throwing her arm around his shoulder in hopes to make a two person huddle.  
  
"There's a plan?" he said in a confused yet interested tone.  
  
"Yeah, tonight in the Great Hall, be there or be square," said Lily. Sirius raised his eyebrow.  
  
"Wait a sec, you, little miss never-likes-to-break-a-rule Lily, are telling me that you are going to sneak into the great hall tonight, after hours, to pull an outrageous prank and then kiss me for hours underneath the Ravenclaw table," Lily gave him the Look. "Um, I might have added that last part, kinda, but you were hinting at it hun. You, me, great hall," and Sirius made a couple of kissy noises. Lily smacked him.  
  
"Don't. Ever. Say. Anything. Like. That. Again," Lily stated slowly.  
  
"Ok your highness. Really though, what is this little plan?" he asked. Lily actually did have a plan, one that both boys weren't aware of, and she thought that it was the perfect way for them to become friends, but she didn't want to tell either one of them her plan. That would spoil everything.  
  
"You're going to play a little prank on James," she said nonchalantly. Sirius still had that confused look.  
  
"What happened to, 'Pranks will get you in so much trouble, you're going to get expelled, I can't believe I'm friends with both of you,'" asked Sirius, finishing his overly exagerated yet still acurate impersonation of Lily.  
  
"I guess one would be okay. And you are getting my help, so if I were you I wouldn't question it. It's going to be really good, I swear," she said. Sirius contemplated this and figured that she was right.  
  
"So what exactly does this plan involve?" he asked after a few moments.  
  
"You'll see. Just be in the Great Hall tonight, I'll meet you there, and don't let the caretaker find you or he'll hang you from your ears in one of the dungeons," said Lily. She then walked away, as if hanging people by their ears was the most normal thing a person would have to do for punishment.  
  
  
***  
  
"Ouch, Lily that was my toe!" James half whispered.  
  
"And that was my hair," responded Lily a little bit more quietly.  
  
"Oh no, your hair, how horrible!" James said sarcastically, now speaking in a normal voice.  
  
"Shut up before some one hears us! The invisibility cloak doesn't stop people from hearing you, you know that right?" asked Lily, shifting her position under the cloak so that she could walk more easily. She was walking with James down to the Great Hall, hoping that they wouldn't get caught. So far this didn't seem as great of a plan as she thought it would be. She might be caught, and she was worried about Sirius. He didn't have the protection of the cloak, he might be in big trouble right now and her plan wouldn't work.  
  
"Shhhhh, I think I just heard someone," said James. Lily quickly turned behind her and sure enough she saw Sirius standing behind them at the end of the hallway. If James saw Sirius now it would mess things up, so Lily stalled James, trying to make him not look behind him.  
  
"I see someone, up ahead. Look, right there!" exclaimed Lily. James stopped mid-turn and looked ahead of him.  
  
"Are you sure? I don't see anyone," said James skeptically. Ok, so plan A didn't work, it was time to move on to plan B.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure. Oh, it's scary being in the castle so late at night like this, I don't really like the dark," said Lily, shivering. James looked at her, worried that she really was afraid. Lily felt a little guilty but she needed her plan to work.  
  
"Don't worry Lils. Just close your eyes and give me your hand, I'll guide you over there, it will work fine I promise," said James. Lily obliged and James concentrated on the path ahead of them. Luckily he didn't look behind him and soon they had entered the great hall.  
  
"Ok, now I just have to engorge this teddy bear and we can get out of here," said James, sitting down and taking out a battered bear. Lily just had to laugh, it was actually kind of cute for Sirius to sleep with it. But obviously Sirius didn't think so, for he burst in the door at that exact second and shouted just one word-  
  
"SNUFFLES!!!!!" he yelled, running towards his precious teddy bear. Sirius and James started fighting over the bear and Lily decided it was now or never. She stood on a chair and then practiced the levitation charm that she had learned the earlier day. "Wingardium Leviosa!" Of course, this was much harder than the feather that she had levitated before, but see seemed to have some sort of skill in charms because her chair rose to the ceiling with her sitting on it. Lily sat on one of the lower ceiling beams and the chair dropped to the ground. She then realized what a dire situation she was in: she didn't know how she was going to get herself down from there, and she wasn't even sure if Sirius and James realized she was up here, they were still fighting on the groud. The bear had been practically ripped in half and Sirius seemed very unhappy about this.  
  
"HELP!" she yelled. Both boys looked up. "My chair went all possesed, and I am stuck up here. Help me, please help me!"  
  
"Don't worry Lily, I'll get you down!" said Sirius. He realized that he had to work together with James to get Lily down. It appeared that James already had a plan though, he whispered something in Sirius' ear and they ran out the door. Suddenly Lily got really worried, what if they had left her here? What if they didn't come back and she was stuck here until the morning. It would take a lot of explaining, and somehow she didn't think that the Hogwarts staff would really fall for the possesed chair explanation.  
  
Lily stopped worrying as two people on broomsticks came flying through the door to the great hall at great speed. Oh, they were really stupid to go flying like that through the school, but it didn't matter to much to her right now. James and Sirius sped over to her and James motioned for her to get on his broomstick. Soon her feet were firm on the ground.  
  
"Yeah, who's the best?" said James, giving Sirius a high-five.  
  
"I think that would be us," gloated Sirius. At that moment they just realized what they had just done. "But don't think this means were friends or anything."  
  
"Why would I be friends with you?" asked James. But there was no answer to that question, because just at that moment the caretaker walked through the door and saw the three first years standing around.  
  
"Three students, out of bed and out of bounds. I don't think you even have to ask what I am going to do about this, detention for all three of you."  
  
***  
  
Two days later, Lily, Sirius and James had thought that their detentions had been forgotten about, but that obviously wasn't the case as they each recieved an owl during dinner telling them when they would serve their detentions.  
_  
Miss Evans,_  
  
_You will be serving detention tonight at ten PM. Please meet me in the astronomy tower then and you will find out what you will be doing.  
  
Sincerly,  
Professor McGonagall  
  
_"Man, I was hoping they forgot about these," said James. "I have to go out to the greenhouse at ten."  
  
"I have to go to the quidditch field. Where do you have to go Lily?" asked Sirius as he turned over to Lily.  
  
"Astronomy tower," she replied. "I wonder what I'm going to have to do."  
  
"Do you even want to know?" asked James. Lily nodded her head yes. She worried about this the rest of the day during her potions class and while she was doing her homework. Finally it was twenty until ten, and Lily left the common room for the astronomy tower.  
  
"It's nice to see you Lily, though I am very disapointed that such an intelligent student would do such a stupid thing. You will be cleaning all the windows and telescopes in this tower by hand, no magic allowed," said Professor McGonagall, handing her towels and a substane that reminded Lily of muggle Windex. Lily took them and started scrubbing. Professor McGonagall left the room.  
  
It took Lily hours before everything was bright and shiny, and she was very happy to retreat to the common room. When she got there she found James waiting for her, or that's what she thought.  
  
"Oh, it's just you. Do you know where Sirius is?" asked James. This suprised Lily.  
  
"No, are you actually talking to him?" asked Lily.  
  
"Not yet," said James. At that point Sirius walked through the portrait hole and saw them sitting on the couch.  
  
"Hey Lily. I bet you had fun, I sure did pruning the quidditch field with a ruler and a pair of scissors," said Sirius, colapsing on one side Lily.  
  
"Hey Sirius, I have something for you," said James. Sirius gave James a weird look, but was too intrigued to not see what James had for him. James pulled out a teddy bear that Lily recognized as Snuffles. Where it had before been ripped and losing stuffing it was now repaired. Sirius could hardly believe his eyes.  
  
"Snuffles! How, why, when did.." Sirius didn't even know what to say.  
  
"I had to watch plants in the green house, you know, make sure they didn't kill each other. Well, it was dull work so I took my cloak, snuck out and got the bear. I sewed it in there while I was waiting. I don't know exactly what I did to you but whatever it is I'm sorry," said James. He then extended his hand, "Friends?"  
  
"I'm sure you probably didn't even know that your dad had my father fired so that he could give his best friend a job," said Sirius. He then shook James hand. "Friends."  


* * *

**A/N-**So that's that for this chapter. I hope you liked it, it did take me awhile to write. I want to get the next chapter up soon, but I'm not exactly sure when. I'm sure, though, that if I get 20 reviews I will have some inspiration to write the next part. So please click the little button and review. Also, from now on if you would like to recieve an email from me announcing chapter updates just review and leave your email address. And if you would like me to read and review one of your stories, just tell me. I never mind returning review favors.  
  
**Thank Yous- **R-chan, Roxy, Elenya, Thistlemeg, Laralanthalsa, OvenMitts and Strawberry Dream. You guys are great, thanks for the awesome reviews.  
  
**Disclaimer-** I don't own Harry Potter and I don't pretend to. If you look for the owner of HP you need to go find J.K. Rowling.  
  



	4. Best Friends

**~*~THE SCARLET DAWN~*~**   
**Chapter Four-Best Friends**

  
"And so the guy says to her, 'Pool? Is this the right house?'" finished Sirius. The entire Gryffindor common room burst into laughter at yet another one of his hilarious jokes. James, who was sitting on the couch opposite him, decided to tell one of his jokes. 

"Does anyone mind a blond joke? Ok good. So a blond, a brunette and a redhead are all running from the ministry. The ministry wizards are gaining on them, so they run into a barn and each had in a sack. One ministry wizard kicks the first sack, which has the redhead in it, and she says, 'Meow, meow,' The ministry wizard figures she's not in there so he goes to the next sack, where the brunette is. He kicks it and the brunette barks like a dog. The blond thinks she knows what's going on. The ministry wizard kicks the sack that she's hiding in and the blond responds 'Potatoes! Potatoes!'" The crowd burst into laughter. Lily had heard that one, although it was funny a second time. She looked around at the room and noticed that Remus Lupin, Sirius' best friend, wasn't laughing. He actually had a sour look on his face and was glancing around the room. His eyes met Lily's and he quickly looked away. Lily walked over to him and sat down. 

"What's with the sad look on your face?" asked Lily with a smile. Remus sighed. 

"I don't have a best friend anymore," he responded. 

"What do you mean? I thought that Sirius was your best friend," replied Lily. She didn't quite see what was going on  


."So did I, but now he spends all his time with James. It's always James this or James that. I don't get to talk to him that much because most of the time he ignores me," explained Remus. A weird feeling went through Lily, she didn't exactly know what, as Remus told her this.   


"Oh, it's always Marsha Marsha Marsha right?" asked Lily with a laugh. Remus didn't get it. 

"Who's Marsha?" he asked. Lily had forgotten that he didn't know what she was talking about.   


"It's a muggle show on the tele," said Lily. Remus looked even more confused. 

"The tele?" asked Remus. 

"Nevermind. Maybe I can find Jamie sometime and we can tell you about it," said Lily. She instantly knew what was wrong with her. She hadn't talked to Jamie in the two weeks that they had been at Hogwarts. She didn't have a best friend anymore either.   


***

  
"Lily, are you okay? You've been acting funny since we left the common room. And you haven't touched your chicken," said James during dinner. He took a bite of his teriyaki chicken and turned towards Lily. "It's good chicken." 

"O 'ea, i's uper ood chick," started Sirius with his mouth full of food, "chicken. Ok, so what's wrong with you Lily?" 

"I was talking to Remus in the common room..." started Lily. 

"Oh yeah, I can see how talking to him can make you depressed, because he's the coolest, funniest person I know," said Sirius. Lily sighed. 

"No, well I was talking to him and I realized that I don't have a best friend anymore," explained Lily, starting to cry. 

"No Lils, no don't cry. Please don't cry. You are probably the coolest person here. Really you are. I don't think I could have gotten through the first week of school, even the train ride, if you weren't here. And I guess I never told you this, but I think that you are my best friend," said James. Lily looked up. 

"Really?" she asked. James nodded. 

"Yeah, he talks about you all the time. Lily this and Lily that, it's nausiating really. I should get payed for listening to him," said Sirius. Lily smiled. 

"Lily, it's really hard coming to a new school where you don't know anyone. And you do know Jamie, she was your best friend all through elementary school, and even though you might make different friends now, nothing can change the fact that you guys are friends. You should go and talk to her, she probably misses you as much as you miss her," said James. Lily considered this. 

"Ok, but if we become best friends again what will happen to you? I want you to be my best friend," said Lily. James smiled. 

"You can never have too many best friends," he replied. "So are you gonna eat that chicken?"   


***

  
"So I was talking to Jessica Stewart last night, she's only the most popular and prettiest fourth year of course, and she was showing me how to put on makeup this great way," said Sandra Klein, one of Jamie's new snobby friends. She pushed her aburn hair behind her ears and took out a compact. 

"Wow, this is so awesome! At my house my parents would never let me wear makeup because I wasn't old enough," said Sara Thomas. Her blonde hair was up in an elaborate bun and she was smearing on some blue eyeshadow. 

"Oh, my parents _always_ let _me_ wear makeup," said Jamie. It wasn't true, her parents never let her, but she wanted to make a good impression. Besides, she had read a lot of beauty magazines and did actually know what she was doing. 

"Anyway girls, would you like to know what Jessica showed me?" asked Sandra. Everyone leaned in closer to her so they could watch her put on some eyeliner. Disgusting. Lily had been standing behind them the entire time listening to what they were saying. She wanted to talk to Jamie of course, but she hadn't found an opening in the converstation yet. However, that opening came when Sandra took her eyes off the makeup for awhile and looked up at her. 

"Oh, look who it is, little Miss Popularity," she said in a sarcastically happy voice. Lily sighed, she wasn't used to that. 

"Hello girls. I was just trying to see if I could get a word in with Jamie really quickly," said Lily, with a voice so cold that it could have turned cocoa to ice. Jamie turned around and started to open her mouth, but she was interrupted by Sara. 

"She doesn't want to talk to you. You were the one who ditched her and made all new friends so you could turn them against her," said Sara nonchalantly. She put on some more blue eyeshadow. Lily was not going to stand her and take this, her days of doing that were over. 

"And I don't want to talk to you, you snobby brat who looks like you went to a fashion show and then to clown lessons. I wanted to talk to Jamie. And by the way, you should never wear blue. It never looks good save for shows, what you want to highlight your hair and eyes would be a light pink or lilac," said Lily. The last part of her sentance was just as sarcastic as Sandra had been. Sara looked embarassed. She quickly tried to get the blue off of her eyelids and then, after that didn't work, she put purple shadow on top of them. 

"No, Lily, she's right. I don't want to talk to you. School has changed you from the person who was my best friend. Besides, you have James and Sirius now, don't you? You don't need me," said Jamie. Her voice was strong, but Lily could tell by her eyes that she wanted to cry. 

"Fine. Well when you get over yourself and want to talk to me again, then tell me. You know where to find me," said Lily. She then quickly turned and tried to go over to where Sirius and James were playing wizard chess. Tears glistened in her eyes. She was halfway there when she felt a tap on her shoulder. 

"Hi. I heard what Jamie and the Snob-ettes told you. I'm sorry. They don't like me either. It's okay, you're really the most popular girl in the first year. I mean, they think that they are popular and they may even be to a point, but they don't really have friends. They're just good at intimidation," said a pretty blond that Lily recognized from the train. "I'm Nancy by the way." 

"Thanks. I know exactly what you mean. I just miss hanging out with her and stuff. She was my best friend. And James is a great best friend, but I kinda need a best friend to talk about clothes and shopping and makeup and boys and all the fun stuff," explained Lily. Nancy nodded, she knew exactly what Lily meant. 

"Well, I can't be your best friend or anything like that, but I think it would be cool if we became friends. You can meet my other friend, Jeanine, she's a lot of fun to hang out with," said Nancy, trying to comfort Lily. 

"Really?" asked Lily. Nancy smiled. 

"Yeah. Come on, I'll show you my dress robe collection, and my earings. It will be fun, come on!" exclaimed Nancy. Lily was happy about this prospect, and they went over to the girls dorms together.   


***

  
"Lily, Lily, LILY!!!!!!! WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!" Lily heard a voice yell in her ear. What was the matter, it was almost midnight and she wasn't done with her beauty rest? 

"Five more mintues," she said with a yawn as she rolled over and put the pillow over her head. 

"No, Lily you have to get up! Today is our first astronomy lesson and it's at midnight. We only have ten minutes to get over there. Hurry up and get ready!" yelled the voice. Lily now realized that James was whispering in her ear. She had completly forgotten about astronomy. She sat straight up and accidently hit James square in the jaw. 

"Sorry..." apoligzed Lily. She looked around. Sandra, Sara, and Jamie's beds were empty, but Nancy was still sleeping. "Ok, get out so i can change and wake up Nancy. Thanks for waking me up by the way James. And I really am sorry about your jaw." 

"Don't mention it, that's what any friend would do. And you really didn't hurt me. I'll wait for you in the common room and we'll walk over to the astronomy tower together, ok?" asked James. He didn't even bother to wait for her to answer, he just walked over to the room. 

"Nancy, Nancy wake up! Astronomy!" said Lily, shaking Nancy awake. Nancy awoke with a start. 

"Oh thanks Lily, but where is Sara? She said she would wake me up at 11:30! She promised!" explained Nancy with a sigh. 

"It's ok, she didn't even tell me about astronomy. Come on, we only have ten minutes to get down there. Or up there, whatever," said Lily as she threw black robes on over her p.j.s. Then she pulled her hair into a ponytail and pulled on her witch's hat. Lastly she wrapped her scarf around her and then she was ready. Nancy was done a moment later. They only had seven minutes to get to the astronomy tower now. 

"That was quick. I thought that girls had to spend hours on their makeup and stuff before they came down from their rooms. I weren't aware they had a face, they always talk about putting it on..." said Sirius. Lily looked at the people in the common room. There were the few first years that had forgotten about astronomy as Lily did, and a group of rowdy seventh years that must have fallen asleep on the couch. 

"You only have to to that if you're Sandra or Sara or Jamie," replied Lily, stifling a yawn. 

"I think that Sara's nice," said Remus, walking down from the boys dorms. "Ok, everyone meet my new friend Peter." 

A somewhat plump boy was walking down the stairs behind Remus. He had thin blond hair and was quite a bit shorter than most of the first years, however he seemed nice enough. When he saw everyone standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for him, he waved rather energetically and then fell down the last few stairs. 

"Hullo everyone. Peter Pettigrew's the name," he said, extending his hand. After everone introduced themselves, they realized that they had very little time to get to the astronomy tower. They rushed there as quickly as they could. 

The astronomy tower was huge, and was crowded with every first year in the castle. Every year had their astronomy lessons on one day of the week at midnight. Lily and her friends sat down next to a group of Ravenclaws that looked rather sleepy and then turned their attention to the professor. Luckily, class hadn't started yet. 

"Hello and welcome to your first astronomy lesson. You will discover that astronomy is a quiet and meticulous art, and you will need to work hard to understand the slight and silent nature and history of the starts," said the professor. She then explained about the stars that they could see with the naked eye. By the end of the lesson Lily was wide awake, taking her usual brilliant notes and asking a multitude of questions. 

"Man Lily, how can you care so much about what all the stupid stars are named?" asked Sirius as they left the astronomy tower. Lily rolled her eyes. 

"I care because, obviosuly, there will be a test on it. And weren't you listening, all of the stars are not named. Most of them don't have names, and you can name them for a small fee," replied Lily. 

"Ok, fine then. I was just wondering how you can still manage to be a-a-awake," said Sirius, yawning at the end of his sentance. 

"Well, you'll get used to it. We have to wake up at midnight on mondays for the rest of our time here," explained Lily. 

"No, I don't think that I'll ever get used to it. I mean, come on, only freaks who stay up during the lesson like you will get used to it," said Sirius. 

"I am not a freak. And for your information-" started Lily, but she was cut off by James. 

"Um, you guys, where are we?" he asked. Lily looked around at her surrondings. They appeared to be somewhere in the dungeons, far from the Gryffindor common room. During Lily and Sirius' brief arguement they had ended up taking a wrong turn. 

"I've never seen this part of the castle before..." replied Lily. 

"Me neither. I think we should go," said Sirius. 

"But which way do we go? The two staircases in front of us lead down. We should turn back," said James. Lily looked behind her as the staircase that they had just come down swung to another wall and replaced it's opening with a wall. 

"Um James, I don't think that's gonna be a possibility," she said as she pointed back at the wall. 

"Oh this is not good. This is really not good! What should we do?" said James in a panicy voice. This seemed to irritate Sirius. 

"Honestly James, do you have to freak out like that? Why don't we just figure out a different way to get back to the common room. No big deal. So based on our surroundings I think we're in the dungeons. All we have to do is find potions and then we will be able to find our way back from there," said Sirius. Lily was glad that he knew how to keep clam in a situation like this. 

"Hum...when we go to potions we go in the first corridor after that sprial staircase, and we come from the oppisite direction, so I'm guessing that we need to go to the staircase on the left," determined Lily.   
  
"Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, listen to what Lily says, yeah..." replied James. Lily almost laughed at him, but thought better of it. The three of them started to head down the stairway over to the left, and it was a few minutes before they recognized anything. James was the one who noticed the potions classroom of the the left.  
  
"Look, there it is! It's right over there!" he yelled with joy. Lily was overjoyed until she heard the ancient caretaker's meanicing voice.  
  
"Students out of bed. Don't worry kiddies, I'll find you soon enough..." he cackled, hurrying towards the potions hallway. Just then James made a brilliant discovery.  
  
"Look!" he whispered, so that Lily and Sirius could hear him. "That statue is just like the one that's by transfiguration! And that's right near our common room!" Lily looked over to the statue that James was pointing out. It was a large, bronze monument of a man that Lily had always assumed to be Godric Gryffindor. He was standing tall, chest forward, shoulders up, with a sword in one hand and his other hand over his chest.   
  
"I bet you all we have to do is figure out someway to get behind the statue, there's probably a secret passage behind there," thought Lily out loud. Sirius and James nodded their heads in agreement. Sirius took out his wand and started waving it around in the air ridiculously.  
  
"Abracadabra, snikely-poo!" he said, a little louder than Lily would have liked him to. Nothing happened at all. "Stupid wand!" exclaimed Sirius, throwing it at the statue. As the tip hit the end of Godric Gryffindor's sword, the statue slid forward, just enought to let them through, and then slowly slid back again.  
  
Lily had expected this new passage to be dark and scary, but it was actually quite to the contrary. There were torches and paintings covering the walls, and beautiful rugs on the floor. There were places where the rugs were stained with footprints, which lead Lily to believe that this was a well known and much used secret passage. It would make sense too, after only a few minutes they had gotten from the potion's corridor to the Gryffindor common room, a feat that usually took them a quarter of an hour. The first years ran into the common room exhilarated and breathless, excited about the prospect of finding the secret passage. Sirius could not stop grinning.  
  
"Do you realize what has just happened here?" asked Sirius. Both Lily and James had no idea what he was getting at. "That statue, that secret passage, there must be hundreds of them in this school. I bet you if we looked hard enough we could find passages that lead to secret rooms, maybe even out of the castle. You know what I think we should do about it?"  
  
"I think we should go to sleep," replied James. The excitement was wearing off, and all James really wanted right now was to lay down in his warm bed and fall asleep.  
  
"We are gonna form a secret society. Only for us, maybe Remus. All we need is a name. Hmm...we could be the mischief makers? That's kinda corny. Magical Menences? No. How about...how about..." started Sirius, but he could not for the life of him think up a name. It was at that point that Lily chimed in.  
  
"How about the Mauraders?" she asked sleepily. James was now nodding off on her shoulder, and she wanted to join him.  
  
"Yes, that's perfect! Lily, James, you are now in our secret society, the Mauraders, where breaking rules and making mischief is our goal. Congradulations!" exclaimed Sirius. What followed was more anti-climactic than he expected.  
  
"I'm not gonna be a part of any club that will get me detention, but I wish you the best of luck. If you don't mind, I'm going to bed," said Lily. She got up and James opened his eyes drowsily, not quite comprehending what was going on.  
  
"Don't let the purple cow untie your shoelaces..." he advised, and then he too got up from the couch and made his way to the dormitories to get a well earned good night's sleep.  
  


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**A/N**- Yeah well it's been awhile, and I must apoligize for that. I still love this story though, and I have been working hard on it lately to get this chapter up as soon as possible. I really want to know what you guys think of it, if it's good and what you think needs to improve, so please review. All flames will be used to roast marshmallows, and maybe make s'mores as well...  
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Disclaimer**- Harry Potter and all related characters belong to J.K.R. Everything else belongs to yours truly.  



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